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Air Force sees big things to come for Cam Michael

LHS grad has bright future for Falcons

By Sean Star Sports Writer

Posted:
01/14/2013 07:40:29 PM MST

Loveland High School graduate Cam Michael will make his first trip to Moby Arena on Wednesday when his Air Force Falcons play Colorado State in the Rams' Mountain West home opener. (Air Force Athletic Department)

When asked about freshman guard Cam Michael, Air Force men's basketball coach Dave Pilipovich made a very intriguing comparison.

If all goes right, Pilipovich said, he foresees Michael emerging as the Falcons' version of Colorado State's Wes Eikmeier.

Michael, who's averaging 4.6 points in 10.8 minutes this year as a freshman, of course has a long way to go before becoming an all-conference player like Eikmeier was a season ago. But for his coach to bring up such a comparison speaks volumes as to what kind of impression the Loveland High School grad had made so far in his first season with the Falcons.

Michael's game certainly resembles the Rams' scoring guard, as he has already proven to be an above average shooter. Midway through his first season, he's shooting 55.9 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from the 3-point line and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. But to evolve into the type of threat that Eikmeier has become, Pilipovich says Michael needs to become more versatile.

"Wes is a talented player who can really shoot it," Pilipovich said. "But Wes has added some parts to his game after he transferred from Iowa State. He's had a great career at CSU, and he's been a good performer in the Mountain West Conference.

"I think Cam's maybe a young Wes Eikmeier. We'd like him to develop into that type of player."

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Michael and the Falcons (9-5, 1-1) travel to face Eikmeier and the Rams (13-3, 0-1) Wednesday at Moby Arena (7 p.m.). CSU's Mountain West home opener will also be Michael's first chance to play in front of a large contingent of family and friends, an opportunity the former LHS Indian has been anticipating for months.

CSU will be looking win a program record 23rd straight home game. But if Michael's high school friends are true to their word, at least part of the Moby crowd will be mixed.

"It's definitely a game on the schedule that right when the schedule comes out you mark the date," Michael said. "I've been excited for it the whole year, really looking forward to it."

Like most freshmen, Michael's season has been filled with plenty of ups and downs.

The 6-foot-5 guard scored a career-best 18 points -- all in the second half -- Nov. 18 against Western State, and then followed that up with 15 points against Regis three days later. Michael was incredibly efficient in the two games, shooting 78.5 percent from the field (11 of 14) and 66.7 from the 3-point line (6 of 9).

However, in the Falcons' past eight games, he hasn't scored and his minutes significantly decreased as Air Force's schedule has ramped up.

Michael has actually yet to see the floor in AFA's first two MW games. Although that's something he's not accustomed to, it's also an adjustment he's taking in stride.

"We have a really experienced team, so it's something getting used to where you don't know how many minutes you're going to get coming off the bench," he said. "You might get 21 one game, and three or four the next. That's kind of been the biggest adjustment, but it's been a great experience. Learning and getting better every day has probably been the best part."

Though his playing time this year as been a bit sporadic, last season on the USAFA Prep School team, Michael was a standout. He led the team in scoring (18.7), rebounding (3.9), assists (77) and charges taken (15).

That opportunity, Michael said, was huge in helping the transition from high school to Division I -- into one of the nation's best conferences, no less.

The next transition Michael hopes to make is perhaps even bigger, that from role player to significant contributor. And with each of the Falcons' current top five scorers this year seniors, the team will certainly need him to emerge.

"I'd like to step forward as a leader the next couple years," he said. "Definitely with a lot of guys leaving the next couples years, I definitely think that's a role I could step into."

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